Ke Kapunakane
by Lady Li Andre
Summary: This story is dedicated to all those who lost their lives in service to this country on that fateful day in 1941, and to all those who protect and serve today, even the imaginary ones. The 5-0 team backs up Steve as he works to uncover the truth concerning the death of a close friend's son, who was found dead along the shore of Pearl Harbor.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Characters belong to K/O Paper Products and CBS. The events and situations depicted in this story are completely fictional and have no connection to any real event. All opinions expressed are those of the author and do not reflect those of any local, state, or federal agency.

Prologue

Tom raised his head again, just to make sure he was still going in the right direction. He could see the outlines of Sam's and Jeremy's arms as they broke the water's surface ahead of him. The lights across the bay reflected in the droplets but the lapping waves made more noise than the strokes of the swimmers.

He tried again to convince himself this was all worth it. Where had Sam come up with this insane idea? He knew well enough why Jeremy was so desperate to go along with it. That was the only reason he'd agreed to it at all.

His muscles were beginning to burn. How far had they gone? He glanced up again and noticed a long gray form across the water. They were almost there.

Sam finally slowed. Tom caught up with Jeremy and paused next to him, treading water.

Sam looked around. "This is it." His hushed voice seemed unnaturally loud. "Are you ready?"

Jeremy pushed the water droplets away from the front of his goggles. "Are you sure this guy will pay?"

"He'll pay!" Sam dropped his voice again. "Are we doing this or not?"

Tom could feel the tug of the current. "Come on, guys. The tide has turned. Let's get this thing and get out of here."

"All right." Sam took a small flashlight from his belt pocket. "Just stay close to me. I know where to go. I just need extra light." He adjusted his goggles, took a deep breath, and disappeared below the surface.

Jeremy waved his mag light and followed. Tom filled his lungs and dove. He could feel the trail of tiny bubbles coming upward from the other boys. His hand brushed against a frond of seaweed. He recoiled from the contact. A dark blob bumped into him. At first he thought it was a fish but when he pushed it away, it broke into smaller blobs and floated upward.

He could see the dim glow as Sam switched on his light. Jeremy paused by a rusted metal hole. Tom pushed hard to catch up. Sam glanced inside the hole then disappeared inside.

Tom grabbed for a rusty railing and discovered it was encrusted with tiny sharp creatures. He added his thin beam to Jeremy's. From his angle, he couldn't see much of the inside. His lungs were beginning to burn.

Sam finally emerged clutching something and pointed toward the surface. Tom glanced up. It looked a lot farther than it had seemed coming down. He felt Tom move past him. He looked back at Jeremy.

Jeremy started to rise but his mag light slipped out of his fingers. Tom focused his small beam on it. Jeremy reached for it and pointed upward. Tom nodded and let go of the railing. He pushed off, looking up at the surface that reflected the escaping bubbles seeping from his struggling lungs.

Tom broke the surface and looked around. Sam was a few feet away. He turned in the water. "Where is Jeremy?"

Sam swiveled. "He must have come up farther out. He's probably already booking for shore." He adjusted the object in his arms. "Come on! This thing is heavy. Let's get going."

Tom pirouetted in the water again. "Sam! We can't just take off."

Sam paused and turned on his back. "Will you quite worrying? He's a better swimmer than you are." He seemed to struggle with his burden. He turned again toward shore.

Tom leaned close to the water and tried to use the lights on the distant shorelines to silhouette anything on the surface. There were too many dark patches. His gut started to crunch. He found Sam's distant form. He didn't want to get left alone out here. Sam was probably right. Jeremy was a better swimmer. He always beat them at the matches. He gave up his search and struck off toward the landing where they had gone in.

In the murky water below, Jeremy's body bumped against the jagged metal opening. Red blobs joined the black ones in their upward journey. The currents swirled around, twisting his form until the metal bracelet around his wrist dislodged from the fragment that had trapped it. The body floated free on the current as the dim beam of the mag light faded.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1

Steve glanced around the room at the stacks of boxes that seemed to cover every surface. He hated to work on weekends but this was above and beyond. He almost wished he'd agreed to go with Katherine and his mom over to Maui. Anything would have been better than this.

Danny leaned back in his chair and looked over at him. "Why did the governor suddenly ask for it now? The only good think about this is that it keeps me from going stir crazy."

Steve paused in his attempt to sort and looked across the desk at his partner. "Not your weekend with Grace, huh?"

"Not anymore. Stan boy convinced Rachel that some fancy play would be so wonderful for Grace that it was more important than my weekend with her."

Steve looked back down at his pile. "I thought we were going paperless. How did we manage to collect all this?"

Danny tossed a stack into another box. "Paper happens."

Kono snickered from across the room. She and Chin were digging through their own assorted collections.

Steve sighed and stared at the same piece of paper again. "So how are you supposed to decide what needs to go to archives? Is there some magical formula?"

Danny dropped another stack of paper in a box and looked up at Steve. "Are you trying to tell me that in all your years in the Navy they didn't make you file your paper work? What did you do with all of it?"

"Wasn't my worry." He looked down at a small scrap. "Okay, what about this?"

"What is it?"

Steve squinted at the faded print. "A receipt for Shave Ice from Kamekona's."

Danny grinned and grabbed up a stack of similar scraps. He wadded them into a tight ball and held it up. "How many of those do you think we have now?" He admired his creation for a moment. "Don't need them." He aimed for the waste basket on the other side of Steve.

Steve couldn't resist. He blocked the shot and it bounced away. He laughed. "Can't get by me that easy."

Danny threw up his hands with and over-exaggerated sigh. "How am I supposed to get by a wall like you!"

Chin and Kono both laughed. Kono spun around in her chair. "Ya, we could call it Steve!"

Danny frowned. "Oh, so that's the way it is." He grabbed up another pile and wadded it into a new ball. He got up and pretended to dribble it toward the basket.

Steve grinned and slid off the edge of the desk, grateful for even a slight diversion. He crouched and spread his arms wide. Danny spun around, protecting his ball from Steve's wide reach.

The phone in Steve's pocket rang. He ignored it for a moment as Danny tried to push past.

Danny glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, your pocket is paging you! You gonna get that?"

Steve pulled the phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. The caller ID read 'unknown'. That was never a good thing.

Danny made use of the brief distraction and snuck by, slamming the paper wad into the waste can. "Score!"

Steve ignored him and hit the answer key. "McGarrett."

"Steve?" The voice sounded strained.

He paused a moment before realizing who the caller was. "Paul!" He couldn't keep the grin off his face. "How the heck are ya?"

Paul took a breath. "I wish I could say I was better."

Steve could hear what sounded like soft crying in the background. His gut tightened. "Paul, what happened?"

The room around him became silent. Steve looked up. Danny, Chin, and Kono were all looking at him.

Paul took another breath. "It's Jeremy. He's dead."

"When?"

"I don't know. Sometime between last night and this morning. They won't tell us much." His voice cracked.

Steve ran his free hand through his hair and turned away from his team. "All right. I'll see what I can find out. Where are you?"

"The Medical Examiner's Office."

Steve set his jaw. "I'll be over in a few." Paul thanked him and disconnected. Steve swallowed hard and slipped the phone back in his pocket. He turned around and noted the expectant look on everyone face. "Look, this is personal."

Danny nodded and reached for the coat on the back of his chair. "So where are we headed."

"I didn't ask you to come."

Danny shrugged. "Didn't have to."

Steve didn't have the strength to argue with him. "Fine." He turned toward the door.

Chin met him there and put a hand in his shoulder. His face was serious. "When you need us..."

Steve nodded and pushed through the office door. He could hear Danny right behind him. He shoved the emotions to the back of his mind and went forward. That was the only way to get the answers.

Danny watched the set of Steve's back as he walked down the hallway. He hated this place. It always smelled like dead things. He was unnerved by Steve's quietness. He knew it must be bad if Steve didn't want to talk about it.

They rounded a corner and Danny could see several people at the end of the hall. One was a lady bent over double on one of metal folding chairs. Another was a Naval officer. He was faced off with a Uniform. Danny recognized the H.P.D. officer and groaned.

The Naval officer's face was stern. "Look, we identified the body. Can't you tell us anything else?"

The Uniform held his position. "We don't have any more information at this time." Danny noticed the folder tucked behind the officer's back. Wasn't that just typical?

Steve stopped in front of the Uniform, who started to protest. Steve held aside the corner of his jacket so that his badge caught the light and pointed at it for emphasis. The Uniform frowned.

Danny stepped around Steve and planted a sweet smile on his face. "Kai, how are you today? So, what have we got?"

Kai glared at him. "This is an H.P.D. investigation. We don't need your help."

Steve moved closer to the Uniform and leaned forward. "Don't care. Just tell us what you know."

Kai scowled. "Look, the kid was found this morning at the Aiea Bay State Rec Area by rangers on routine patrol. He probably partied too much with his friends last night, took a swim, and didn't make it back."

The woman in the chair looked up. Tear streaks glistened on her face. "No! Not Jeremy. He didn't!"

The Naval officer moved to stand next to the woman and put his arm around her. He glared back at Kai. "He didn't party and he's an expert swimmer. He took first at state last year for his dive team."

Danny managed a sideways glance at Steve. He could see the muscles tensing in his jaw. Steve moved to stand between the Uniform and the couple. "All right."

Kai actually backed up a step. "Look McGarrett, this is H.P.D. jurisdiction. We'll handle it." His words were weakened by the shake of his voice.

Steve moved back and looked over at Danny. His entire attitude seemed to shift. He grinned tightly. "He was found at a State rec area, yes?"

Danny smiled back. He'd caught Steve's emphasis on the word 'state'. He over exaggerated his nod. "Yup."

Steve sunk a little deeper into his playful role. "And he obviously died in the water."

Danny noticed the confusion on Kai's face and hammed it up. "Sounds that way."

Steve turned back to Kai as if explaining something simple to a child. "H.P.D. jurisdiction ends at the shoreline. All waterways are state or federal jurisdiction."

Kai began to protest. He brought out the folder and Steve was back to total serious. He grabbed the folder out of Kai's hands.

Kai tried to object but Steve crossed his arms over the folder and gave him the stone melting stare. Danny leaned forward and shook his head. "Don't. Trust me. It would be a waste of your time."

Steve nodded and handed the folder to Danny. He gave Kai one last look. "This is our case now."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Steve watched the retreating back of Officer Kai. He realized he'd have to justify his taking of the case to the governor with a slight bit less drama and more facts. But it was the weekend. Hopefully they could wrap all this before the governor came back and found out about it.

He caught the motion out of the corner of his eye and turned as Paul approached. "Thanks Steve. I owe you." He held out his hand and Steve shook it. "When I got the call this morning from Amy, I didn't know what to do. You were the only person I could think of." He looked back over his shoulder at his wife. "He is." Paul's voice caught. "Was. All we had."

Steve closed his eyes, got his own emotions under control, and shoved them firmly into the tiny space in the back of his mind where they'd stay until he had time to process them later. He took a deep breath and put a hand on Paul's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll get to the bottom of this."

He could feel Paul's slight tremble. The man needed something to do to feel useful. He glanced over at his partner. "Danny. This is Paul Davis and his wife, Amy."

Danny nodded. "I'm deeply sorry for your loss."

Steve cringed. It sounded too professional. He noticed the folder, clutched in Danny's hand. "Go over the information with Paul and Amy. Make sure we've got everything we need."

"Right." Danny had gotten his cue. He could tell by the change in his softened smile.

Steve nodded toward the swinging metal doors. "I'll go have a chat with Max."

Danny gave him the 'better you than me' look and pulled Paul gently toward Amy.

Steve sighed and pushed through the doors into what he'd come to consider Max's personal space. The outer office was deserted so he continued into the exam room.

Max was at the far end, shuffling through a small cardboard box that sounded like it contained some type of metal objects. Steve cleared his throat and Max looked up. His expression changed from annoyance to surprise. "Commander! I wasn't expecting you."

Steve managed to glance over to the table where a white draped body lay. He nodded and turned back to Max. "We took over the case."

"Ah." Max put down the box and came toward the table.

"So what have we got, Max?"

Max pulled back the sheet to reveal the head and chest. Steve forced himself to look. It had been a couple of years since he'd seen Jeremy but the boy's face was still recognizable, in spite of the bruises caused by bloating. He looked up at Max.

"The victim died between midnight and one am this morning. The primary cause of death is asphyxiation by aqueous saline."

He heard movement as Danny entered and walked toward the table. "In other words, he drown in salt water. No shortage of that in Hawaii."

Max looked up, annoyed. "Most likely."

Steve crossed his arms and frowned. Something Max had said bothered him. "You said primary?"

Max pulled the sheet back from the right side of the body. Danny grimaced and backed up but Steve leaned forward. Something about the gashes looked odd.

Max pointed to the largest one. "He sustained deep lacerations on his right arm and side. By the fragments that I recovered from the wounds, I'd say they were caused by rusted metal."

Danny managed to hover in the background without get any closer. "Somebody stabbed him with an old knife?"

Max shook his head. "Probably not. These wounds are jagged, not the clean cuts that a knife would make, even a rusty one."

Steve began calculating the distance between the cuts. He moved around the table, trying to visualize how they might have occurred. The angles seemed to be all wrong. The jagged edges had no obvious pattern. "He could have gotten caught on a sharp piece of old metal."

Max brightened. "My theory exactly. I have sent the fragments off to the lab for a complete analysis. This may help determine if the metal was on shore or under water."

Danny paced slightly. "So he could have been hurt on land and then tossed into the bay."

"That is one possibility." Max held up a small glass slide. "I also recovered traces of petroleum residue from his skin, hair, and inner passages - nasal, thorax, and lungs."

Steve tensed. "Oil?"

Max shrugged. "That, too, has been sent to the lab for analysis."

Steve backed off to the other side of the room and tried to concentrate. Danny became more animated, as he often did when his speculations began pouring out. "Maybe he floated through an oil slick."

"I had also considered that, however, the water in his lungs contained too large a concentration of oil."

Steve watched Danny processing each new bit of information. Danny was good at rational thought, in his own limited way. "He could have been near some boat fuel docks when he got tossed in."

Steve could tell that Max's patience was wearing thin. "Yet another possibility." Max went back to the box that he'd been digging through when Steve entered.

Curiosity got the better of him. "What have you got in there?"

Max seemed to settle on one object and pulled it from the box. "A tuning fork."

Danny's face was a mixture of surprise and shock. He shook his head. "Do I want to know?"

Max picked up a stethoscope from the counter and placed the ends in his ears. He hit the fork on the edge of the counter and held the other end on the chest. He spent several moments listening in different locations.

Danny cringed, obviously attempting to not laugh. He finally shook his head. "Max. What are you doing?"

Max looked up at him, severe annoyance flickering across his face. "Attempting to determine how deeply the water saturated with oil went into the lung cavity." He stood up. "Oil is less dense than water, thus has a different vibration frequency." His voice was controlled but Steve could hear the edge in it.

Danny shrugged. "Oh, of course."

Max squared his stout shoulders. "This would be an indication of the victim's condition at the time of his submersion."

Danny looked over at Steve. "Who says you can't tune a fish."

Steve realized he'd better get his partner out of there before Max had a sudden inspiration about a different use for his tuning fork. He coughed quietly to get Danny's attention then looked at Max with his best serious face. "Let us know when you have anything else."

Max nodded curtly. "Of course, Commander."

Steve pulled Danny out of the room before he could say anything else that would get him deeper into trouble. Max returned to his investigation.

Once out in the hall, Steve breathed deeply. He looked around. No one was in sight.

Danny cleared his throat. "I sent Paul and Amy home. This is obviously very hard for them and certainly no place for a grieving mother to hang around.

Steve relaxed a little. "Thanks, Danny." He stared at nothing for a moment then refocused. "What did you get from the report?"

Danny frowned. "Nothing that makes much sense. H.P.D. is pretty stuck on their party theory but it doesn't fit with what his parents had to say."

It didn't fit with what Steve knew of him, either, but it had been a few years. "We need to find out what Jeremy was doing last night." It was time to pull together his resources. He looked at Danny. "Brief Chin and Kono on the case. Have Chin go over to the house and search Jeremy's room. Maybe we might get lucky and find some clue to what his plans had been."

Danny frowned. "That's the crazy part. According to Amy, he went to bed early last night. Seems he always does on Friday nights because he gets up early every Saturday morning so he can go out and swim with the team at Oneula. That was Amy's first indication that something was wrong."

"He didn't get up in the morning?"

"No. He usually gets a ride from a team mate so Amy usually sleeps in." Danny pursed his lips. "The coach called her this morning around 8 am wondering where Jeremy was. Amy went into his room to check on him and he wasn't there so she started making calls." He paused and looked down at the floor. "The next thing she knows, she's got an officer and Chaplin on her doorstep."

Steve swallowed hard. He remembered that all too well. He shook off the memory and added it to his mental box. He needed to move. He started back down the hall and Danny fell into step beside him.

It just felt like there were a lot of missing pieces. One struck him. "How did H.P.D. know who he was?"

Danny glanced at the report. "It says he was identified by some bracelet. Doesn't go into details."

"Have Chin ask about that."

Danny closed the folder and managed to avoid colliding with one of the busy staff hurrying down the hall in the opposite direction. "Anyway, once Paul got there, H.P.D. asked them to come down and do the official ID."

Steve felt the knot in his stomach tighten and forced himself to breathe. He'd been such a cute kid. How long had it been since he'd seen him? "He must have been in his Senior year by now."

"Yeah, and a good student according to his parents. Top grades, a good kid, it just doesn't add up."

Steve glanced over at him. "Well, we'll just have to find the missing numbers."

Steve pushed through the tinted glass doors and out into the warm sunshine. "What about known associates? Friends? Enemies?"

"His parents didn't say."

Steve turned down the tree lined walk toward their parked vehicles. "See if Chin can get some kind of list from Paul and Amy." He frowned. "I know it's the weekend, but maybe Kono can connect with someone from his school. She can help Chin canvas contacts. We've got to see if there's any evidence for H.P.D.'s party theory."

"Right." Danny pulled out his note pad and made a couple of quick notes.

Steve stopped at the front of his truck and leaned on the hood. "Jeremy swam with a team. Do we have a contact number for the coach?"

Danny checked through the folder. "Got it right here."

Steve fished his keys out of his pocket. "Good. Get a hold of him and find out what you can." He toyed with the keys absently for a moment. "He was in the water at time of death. Maybe he and some of his buddies decided to take an early swim."

Danny looked concerned. "And where are you headed?"

Steve tried to give him a reassuring grin but he doubted it came out that way. He sighed and moved toward the truck door. "To talk to the park rangers who recovered the body."

Chin got off his bike and surveyed the neighborhood. It was a fairly upscale one in the Waiau District. He guessed the majority of the residents were connected to the Naval Base in one way or another.

He noticed several people stringing lights and shook his head. The holiday season was well underway. Chin walked up the sidewalk that split the neatly kept lawn. He pressed the bell and waited.

A middle aged woman in wrinkled slacks and flowery print blouse opened the inner wooden door. Tear streaks outlined her face. Her expression turned to confusion when she focused on him. "Can I help you?"

Chin smiled gently and pulled the corner of his jacket aside to reveal his badge. "Mrs. Davis? I'm Detective Chin Ho Kelly of Five-O. Steve McGarrett sent me over."

A flash of relief crossed her features. She opened the outer screen door. "Of course. Please come in."

He stepped in and she closed the door behind him. He quickly surveyed the nicely furnished living room and connected dining room, noting the many family photos hung on the walls.

A man dressed in Naval tan came down the hall from the back part of the house. His expression was hard to read. Mrs. Davis came forward and put her hand on his chest, explaining who Chin was.

Mr. Davis relaxed a little and extended his hand. "Detective Williams mentioned that another officer might be coming over. What can we do to help you?"

Chin accepted the offered hand, noting how light the shake was. "There is some additional information that Steve needs. He was hoping you might be able to put together a list of Jeremy's friends, both from school and elsewhere."

Mrs. Davis managed a slight flicker of a smile. "I can do that." She seemed to falter, her lower lip trembling. "Jeremy had been putting together a list for invitations... for the party." She moved toward another room.

Mr. Davis watched her go then turned back toward Chin. "Jeremy was going to throw a big party for his 18th birthday."

Chin could hear the emotion in the man's voice. He felt his own tightened emotions struggling. "Was he your only child?"

"Yes." Mr. Davis breathed deeply. "This is very hard for us."

"I understand." Chin worked to control his own voice. He focused his mind on the list Danny had given him. "Might I be able to look at his room?"

Mr. Davis seemed to stagger a moment then regained his balance. "Of course. This way."

He led Chin down the hallway toward the back of the house. Chin noted Mrs. Davis sitting at a counter in the kitchen, copying names from a small spiral bound book to a piece of paper.

Mr. Davis stopped at a closed door. He opened it and stepped aside. "We haven't been in here yet." His voice broke.

Chin peered into the dim interior. The blinds were drawn but enough light seeped through their slats for him to see. He stepped inside the orderly room. It reminded him of Steve's house. Everything seemed placed just right.

The walls were covered with posters depicting people swimming or diving. In one corner was an anchored shelf packed with trophies, some of which had ribbon-threaded medals dangling from them. They all seemed to have a common theme. "He was certainly into swimming."

Mr. Davis entered the room and stood in the doorway. "It was his life. His coach was sure that he'd make the Olympic Team next year."

Chin could hear the tremble in the man's voice and didn't want to push him too hard. He moved toward the desk. It was stacked with textbooks and other papers. He noticed the small blinking light and carefully moved a stack to uncover a slim notebook laptop. He glanced over at Mr. Davis. "Is it all right with you if I look through his computer?"

"By all means. The password to log on is 'flipper'."

Chin managed a slight grin. "Thanks." He pulled out the rolling desk chair, sat down, and opened the screen. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary on the desktop. He scanned the programs and noticed that the email application was still running.

Mr. Davis leaned against the doorframe. Chin realized he needed to give the man something to think about. "Did you notice anything different about Jeremy in the past couple of days?"

Mr. Davis pulled his hands across his face. "Nothing. He was excited about the PCA tournament coming up. I can't imagine what could have been more important than his training to him."

Chin scanned through the email list as he listened. Nothing seemed to stand out. He opened a few just to get some idea of what Jeremy had been chatting about with friends but found no mention of anything dealing with Friday night. He opened the trash file and discovered a considerable list. The first file at the top caught his attention. The time stamp was ten PM Friday night. He opened it. "It looks like he was planning to take a swim with some friends." He looked up at Mr. Davis. "Sam and Tom?"

There was a brief look of confusion. "Ah, that would probably be Sam Taylor and Tom Richards. They go to different schools and belong to different teams." He shook his head. "Jeremy met them at swim meets. He always made a point of congratulating other swimmers who did well."

Chin nodded and scanned through the message. It was pretty vague.

Mrs. Davis came to the door. She paused briefly beside her husband then came in and held out a piece of paper to Chin. "I've made a full list of everyone he had planned to invite. All their addresses and phone numbers are here."

Chin paused to take the sheet. He glanced down the list, noting a few female names. "Which one is Jeremy's girl friend?"

Mr. Davis tensed. His wife looked at him then back at Chin. She seemed almost frightened. "Her name is Miako Hanoli."

Mr. Davis went rigid. "I thought he broke up with her." He turned and walked from the room.

She put a hand over her mouth and sank down on the edge of the bed. Her lips were trembling. "Miako is a sweet girl and Jeremy adored her. It's just..." She closed her eyes. "Her family made such a fuss when they found out that she and Jeremy were dating. They are very... traditional."

Chin braced himself. "They're Hawaiian?"

Mrs. Davis nodded. She leaned forward and covered her face with her hands. "Paul didn't want to cause problems. He told Jeremy to break it off but..." She managed to catch a sob before it escaped. She sighed deeply. "They loved each other." She looked up at him. "It just doesn't seem fair."

Chin looked down at the list as an excuse. He pulled his own emotions back under control. When he was sure his voice was steady, he looked back at her. "I found a couple of emails from Sam Taylor in the trash. He and Jeremy had planned to meet their friend Tom at their favorite spot last night. Would you have any idea where that might be?"

She looked completely baffled. "I don't know."

Chin pulled a thumb out of his jacket pocket. "These emails might be important. Do you mind if I copy them?"

"Not at all. Take whatever you need." She muffled her sob in her knuckles.

Chin transferred the files and closed the program. He shut down the computer and set it back on the desk. He pulled out his phone and looked at his check list. There was one more item. He looked up at her. "Steve wanted me to ask about a bracelet. Something that H.P.D. used to identify Jeremy?"

She squeezed her eyes closed, allowing the tears to escape. She reached into the pocket of her blouse and pulled out a silver bracelet, looked at it briefly, then handed it to Chin.

Chin examined it. The outside surface was engraved in English: Jeremy Davis - 1st in state 2011 - Pearl City Aquatics. Chin turned it over. There was smaller script etched on the inside in Hawaiian. He whispered the words. "Ko'u aloha mau loa." He almost lost his emotional control. 'My love forever.' He closed his eyes, trying to force the image of Malia from his mind.

Mrs. Davis's voice cut through the fog. "Miako had given it to Jeremy last year. He always wore it."

Chin forced himself to swallow. He couldn't afford to loose it now. His eyes burned but he ignored them. He handed the bracelet back. He sucked in a deep breath and hoped that his voice wouldn't crack.

He glanced down at the piece of paper in his hands. "I need to get this list to a fellow officer." He managed to stand and so did she. "As soon as we have anything, we'll contact you."

"Thank you." She led him to the front door. There was no sign of Mr. Davis.

Chin didn't know what else to say. He managed a good-bye and walked stiffly toward his bike. A tear dangled at the edge of one eye. He pushed it away.

He pulled out his phone, brought up the scanning app, and got a good image of the list Mrs. Davis had given him. Then he thumbed through his contact list and hit the dial key.

Kono walked past the sign with the nicely burnished letters. Pearl City High School was much nicer than the school she'd attended. She'd been relieved to leave the principle's office, never having cared much for that room, no matter what circumstances brought her to one.

Both the principle and Jeremy's guidance councilor had been more than willing to come in and talk to her, even though it was a weekend. Both had been shocked and saddened by his death. Neither could think of anyone who would have wanted to hurt him. He'd been well liked. And they had also confirmed Steve's assessment that a drinking party was highly unlikely.

Her phone buzzed in its pouch on her belt. She pulled it out, glanced at the caller ID, and grinned. "Hey, coz. What have you got?"

"I've got a good list of potential contacts. Jeremy had a lot of friends."

Even over the phone, Kono could hear something in his voice. She paused by one of the shade trees that lined the walk and leaned against it. "Are you okay?"

She heard Chin sigh. "I'll be all right. Did you get anything at the school?"

"Nothing overly helpful. He was well liked by both teachers and fellow students."

She could hear him ruffling a piece of paper. "I sent the list to the Cloud account. I've got a couple of emails from a friend that imply they were planning to meet another for a late night swim." There was a pause. "That's odd."

"What is?"

"Their names aren't on the list. Maybe I can use the email to track him." Chin paused again. "You may want to start with his girl friend, Miako Hanoli. It seems there was some tension because she's native."

Kono's gut tightened. She was all too familiar with the tensions that could sometimes cause, on both sides of the line. "Right. I'll see what I can find."

"I'm going to have to go back to the office and make use of the database. Call me if you need any back-up."

"You got it, coz." She ended the call. Kono leaned her head back against the trunk and looked up into the green leaves. Could that be part of Chin's discomfort with Adam? She hoped not. She sighed, pushed off from the tree, and headed for her car.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Danny admired the vast array of trophies that lined the shelves of the lighted glass case. There seemed to be hundreds of them. He'd found Jeremy's name on at least a dozen of the team trophies and his face looked out from many of the pictures tacked to the back wall of the case.

Footsteps echoed down the long hallway and Danny turned to see, who he assumed, must be Coach Peterson, striding in his direction. If the sleek light-weight athletic suit didn't give him away, the shiny whistle dangling from the cord around his neck was the cincher.

The coach came to a stop, giving Danny the once over. "Are you with Honolulu P.D.?"

Danny made his badge more visible. "No. Five-O, state task force. I'm Detective Williams. I was hoping I might ask you a few questions."

"Of course." The coach motioned back the way he'd come and Danny fell in step beside him. "I was shocked when Amy called me back and told me Jeremy was dead." He took a shaky breath. "He was such a good kid."

For some reason, that phrase had always made Danny nervous. "And a good swimmer?"

The coach stopped and started at him. "You were down there looking at the case. It doesn't take a detective to see the obvious. He was one of the best. He held a long distance underwater record for the state." Coach Peterson looked down at the floor and his voice seemed to deflate. "He even had a chance at the Olympic Team."

Danny noticed some chairs along the wall, the nasty hard shell plastic kind. But it looked like the coach needed to collapse. They'd have to do. He motioned and Coach Peterson crumpled into one. Danny sat down, twisting to face him.

He tried to decide how to word his question. "Is there anyone who might have wanted to hurt Jeremy? Maybe jealous over his success?"

Coach Peterson looked up. His expression was one of shock. "No one! Everybody liked him." Then he seemed to get reflective.

Danny hoped he'd hit on something. "Coach?"

The man rubbed his chin. "There was this one boy at a meet this summer. A big Hawaiian kid. He gave Jeremy a hard time about something but I'm not sure what it was about."

Danny perked up. "Did this boy threaten Jeremy?"

"Yeah. There was almost a fight but, like I said, everybody liked Jeremy. His team mates and even some guys from other teams, were there to back him up."

"What happened?"

Coach Peterson shrugged. "Nothing much, really. They shouted at each other but when Jeremy's mates stepped in behind him, the boy took off."

Danny frowned. "Do you have any idea what they might have been arguing about?"

"Not a clue. I was on the other side of the pool at the time. By the time I got there, it was over. The kid had taken off and the boys had moved on."

Danny closed his eyes and swore silently to himself. "What about any of the other boys that had been there during the altercation?"

The coach chewed on his bottom lip. "Our team, and at least seven others, were all there. My boys don't come into the pool today. We swam out in the surf this morning. It works muscles in a way swimming laps never can."

Danny shuddered. "Don't remind me." As far as he was concerned, he didn't care if those muscles atrophied. He'd stick to the pool. He refocused. "Okay. If you can get a hold of any of these kids and they're able to give you anything on this incident or the Hawaiian boy, please call me right away." He stood up, fished a card from his inner pocket and handed it to the coach.

The coach also stood. He took the card. "I wish there was more I could do to help."

Danny thought for a moment. "A list of names would be good."

"They'd all be in the directory on the web site." He walked over to a wooden rack on the wall and pulled out a brochure. ""Here's the web address."

Danny cringed. He wasn't sure what bothered more; the fact he'd have to struggle with the computer or that he'd have to take yet another piece of paper back to the office.

Kono got out of her car and checked the address on her phone one more time. This was defiantly one of the poorer neighborhoods in Halawa Heights. The apartment buildings looked old and run down.

She scanned the numbers on the buildings and found one that matched. She slid her phone back into its pouch and started off toward the building.

Kono was almost to the door when it flew open and a girl came stumbling out. Kono managed to catch her and keep her own balance as well.

Another girl appeared at the door. "Miako! Wait!"

Kono could feel the girl in her arms shaking. She could hear the sobs and ragged breath. "Are you okay?"

The girl managed to get her legs to hold her own weight. Her hands covered her face. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." Kono kept her arm around her.

The other girl had emerged from the apartment. Her blond hair and paler skin contrasted that of the girl in Kono's arms. She came forward and touched her friend's shoulder, then looked up at Kono. "Something terrible has happened."

Kono nodded, wondering how the girls had found out. "Why don't we go inside and get out of the sun."

The blond girl looked at Miako and nodded. She led the way back into the dingy apartment. Kono could see a well-used sofa and directed Miako toward it, helping her to sit. She kept her hand on Miako's back as she doubled over and cried.

Miako was saying something between her sobs. Kono realized she was repeating. "It can't be true. It just can't."

Kono glanced over at the other girl. "I'm Officer Kono Kalakaua of Hawaii Five-O. I'm guessing you already know why I'm here."

The other girl brought her hands to her mouth. "Because of Jeremy."

Kono nodded. "How did you and Miako find out?"

The girl's eyes seemed to get even wider. "My boyfriend, Ron. He lives just down the street from Jeremy. He saw the cops come to the house." She hesitated, unsure for a moment."

"It's all right. Please tell me."

She chewed on her knuckles for a moment then sighed. "He overheard one of them ask about Jeremy and say the look on his mom's face was bad. He just knew." Tears spilled from her eyes. "Was it a car accident?"

Kono shook her head. "His body was found in the bay this morning. He had drowned."

Maiko sat up so quickly Kono almost lost her balance. "No! That can't be." She swiveled to face Kono. "Jeremy was a good swimmer! He couldn't drown!"

Kono noticed her friend had seemed to go even paler. "What is it?"

The girl looked terrified. "Kulipo. He lives on the bay."

Miako gasped. "Sarah! How could you even think something like that? He wouldn't have. You know that."

Sarah was sobbing now and rocking slightly. "How do you know? Ron said he'd even found Jeremy at a meet." She buried her face in her hands. "What if found him by the bay?"

Kono gently held Miako. "Who is Kulipo?"

Miako turned and looked at her, shaking her head. "He's all noise. He wouldn't really hurt anybody. He was just mad because he found out about me and Jeremy."

Kono felt her stomach tighten. "Are you sure he might not do something?"

Sarah grabbed Miako's hand. "You have to tell her!" She looked up at Kono. "Kulipo threatened to kill him if he didn't stop coming around."

Kono looked down at Miako. "I know this is hard. There were marks on Jeremy's body that may indicate a struggle."

Miako shook her head. "He wouldn't. He's not like that."

Kono wondered why Miako was being so defensive of the boy. "Have you known Kulipo for awhile?"

"He's my cousin."

Kono's insides went cold. She forced herself to focus. "Kulipo lives down by the bay?"

Miako nodded. "He and my uncle live on a houseboat in the marina under the bridge. They are allowed to live there because my uncle pumps gas for all the boats."

Kono closed her eyes. Fuel pumps. "When did you see your cousin last?"

"A few days ago." She suddenly tensed in Kono's arms and began to shake.

"Miako?" Kono felt for the girl's pulse but it seemed within tolerance.

Miako looked up at her. Her voice was a bare whisper. "My mom had asked him to come to dinner last night but he said he couldn't. He was going to be busy."

Sarah leaned over and clung to Miako. They sobbed together.

Kono took a deep breath. "I need to find Kulipo. I'm going to need to ask him some questions."

Miako kept crying but Sarah managed to sit up. "I'll walk you to the door." She stood.

Kono gently untangled herself from Miako and stood. "I'm so sorry." She gave her a final hug and followed Sarah back toward the door.

Sarah opened it and looked back at Miako. "I'll stay with her until her mom gets home." She turned back to Kono. Her face seemed to crumble. "This is all my fault."

"Why would you say that?"

Sarah looked back at Miako. "She's been my best friend forever. When my family moved over to Pearl City, we stayed in touch. I'm the one who introduced her to Jeremy." She bit on her knuckles. "I even borrowed a ring from her, like he asked me to. I think he was going to ask her. He didn't care what their families thought." She dissolved into sobs.

Kono gave her a hug. "Be there for Miako, okay?"

Sarah nodded and closed the door.

Kono hurried back toward her car. She was a mixed bag of emotions herself. She could help think of Chin's animosity toward Adam. Would that kind of feeling be motive enough for murder?

Steve got out of the all terrain vehicle and followed the park officer down a slight slope. They started pushing their way though the denser bushes that lined the shore.

The ranger glanced back at him. "It was actually the gulls that tipped us off. We sometimes get things that float in with the tide, dolphins and turtles, stuff like that. We even had a shark once."

"That must have caused a stir."

The ranger stopped and pointed to some low braches that drooped into the mud at their base. "We found him over there around eight thirty this morning. He was floating face down. His swim trucks had snagged on those branches."

Steve carefully made his way past the ranger and stopped just short of the area. He squatted down and scanned the ground. It was well trampled, probably from the rescue personnel who had pulled the body out. He got up and moved closer to the spot, noting the way his combat boots sucked the mud. "Had there been any reports of kids over-staying their welcome last night?"

The ranger stayed where he was. Steve noted his concerned look. His guide shook his head. "Our last swing through this area was around ten last night. We didn't see or hear anything."

Steve looked across the marshy tide flats. "Doesn't look like much of a good place to swim."

"Don't know of anyplace along the top of the loch that is. There's just too much of a sediment load coming down from the mountains."

Steve looked at the vegetation pattern along the shore line. He pulled out his phone and hit the tide app, selecting 'nearest location'. The chart for Ford Island came up. "Looks like we had a high tide this morning around six AM. It peaked out around 2.3 feet."

"That's a lot for here. The body could have floated in with the incoming tide."

Steve studied the chart. "The M.E. says time of death was between midnight and one this morning. The tides had just changed." He opened a folder containing nautical charts and selected Pearl Harbor. He studied the flow patterns. Steve noticed the ranger was watching him. "Judging by the time of time of death and the current patterns with the incoming tide, he could have been up to a mile away. Closer to Ford Island than the shore."

"Wow. You can really figure all that out with your phone?"

Steve grinned and stood up. "Amazing what technology you can hold in the palm of your hand these days." He turned and looked down the bay. A white streak across the water's surface near the shoreline of Ford Island caught his attention. His gut crunched. He had one of those bad feelings coming on.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2

Chin leaned over the console and eliminated a few more names from the list. This was taking way too long. He glanced up as Kono came in from her office. "I sure hope you're having better luck than I am."

Kono looked tired and maybe more. He couldn't read her expression and that bothered him. She managed a smile and joined him at the vid table. "I may have gotten a few pieces from his girlfriend. I still need to follow up on a lead."

The sound of voices echoed down the outer hallway. They both looked up as Danny and Steve entered. Danny's faced was flushed. "It's just every time I think Rachael and I have made some progress, everything goes to hell."

Steve put a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Grace is a smart little girl. She may be only ten, but she's more aware than most kids her age. Has anyone bothered to ask her what she wants?"

Danny looked offended. "You don't think I've asked her?"

"I'm just saying, you have this tendency."

"What tendency?"

Steve closed his eyes. "Never mind." He looked over at Chin and Kono. "What have we got so far?" Danny started to say something but Steve turned on him. "Can we just focus on this case, please?"

Chin noted the tension in his voice. This was his friend's son. It certainly couldn't be easy for him. He wished he had better news. "More questions than answers." He moved some files up to the hanging screen. "I found several emails on Jeremy's computer that indicated he was planning to meet two of his friends last night for a swim. I've been trying to get a location on them. The thing I thought was odd is that they weren't on the list Mrs. Davis gave me." He added that to the screen.

Steve crossed his arms, rubbed his chin, and stared at the list for a moment. Then he frowned. "That's odd."

Chin looked at the list again. "What is?"

"What did you say their last names were?"

"Richards and Taylor." Chin looked again at the list and gasped. "How could I have missed that? The names are alphabetized but the list stops at P."

Steve turned to him. "He must not have finished it."

Chin closed his eyes. "His birthday wasn't until February. He probably figured he still had time."

The silence in the room was deafening. Danny finally cleared his throat to break it. He tapped the table by Kono's files. "And who's this charming fellow?"

Kono slid the picture up. "This is Kulipo Moloika. I spoke with Jeremy's girlfriend, Miako, and her friend, Sarah. They both said Kulipo had made verbal threats to Jeremy."

Danny smiled. "And the coach mentioned a 'big' Hawaiian boy almost causing a fight at a meet. He does seem to fit that description."

Steve looked over at her. "What's his connection?"

Kono glanced at Chin briefly. "He's her cousin. Her family wasn't happy about Miako seeing Jeremy. Apparently, Kulipo had made verbal threats indicating he might hurt him physically if he didn't stay away from Miako."

Chin looked down at screen, not really seeing it. "His mother also mentioned that. Mr. Davis wouldn't comment." He watched Steve's reaction reflected in the glassy surface. He saw the frown forming.

Steve looked at all of them in turn then focused on Kono. "Do you think Kulipo Moloika might have had something to do with Jeremy's death?"

Kono looked uncomfortable. "Miako said Kulipo's family owns an old house boat that they keep out at a marina in the harbor under some bridge."

Steve's face flickered with recognition but Danny brightened. "Plenty of rusty mental and oil at a marina. If Kulipo did go after Jeremy there, maybe he shoved Jeremy into an old rusty bucket, it cut him up, and he slipped and fell in."

Kono bit her lip. "Apparently Kulipo's dad runs the pumps for the marina."

Danny's grin broadened. "Eureka! We've struck oil."

Chin watched Steve's reaction carefully. He seemed more thoughtful than anything. He opened a map and zoomed in on an area. "I'm guessing the marina must be Rainbow." He tapped on a location near the Oahu side of the Admiral Clarey Bridge.

Kono looked at her file. "That's the one."

Danny leaned over the map. "Where was the body found?"

Chin pointed to the Aiea State Recreation Area at the top of the bay. "Up here."

"Look at that. Perfect! They're almost next door."

Chin had to admit, the two locations looked pretty close together. But Steve still looked unconvinced. "Steve? What are you seeing that we're not?"

Steve opened another file and overlaid it on the map. Danny groaned. "Oh, great. A bunch of tiny little blue arrows. Ya, that's helpful."

Steve kept staring at the map. "There do seem to be a lot of pieces that link Kulipo to Jeremy. Go ahead and follow up on that, Kono."

"I'm on it." Kono grabbed her gear and headed for the door.

Steve looked up at Chin. "How long before you can narrow the list on his two friends?"

Chin shook his head. "Sam Taylor has an older email account, unit based rather than internet based. I can't track it that way. I've been using the records database but they both have popular names, even for kids in high school. I've got it narrowed some but it's become a process of elimination."

Danny's face scrunched up. "You mentioned he was going to take a swim with them?"

"Ya, his father said that Jeremy had met them at a swim meet."

Danny smiled and dug something out of his pocket. "I have a gift for you. Don't say I never get you anything. Okay, it's only a piece of paper." He rolled his eyes.

Chin took it and glanced at the brochure. It was for the local swimmers network. "Fantastic!" He keyed in the web address.

Steve nodded. "Stay focused on that, Chin." Chin noticed Steve had his hands planted on the edge of the table and was still staring at the map.

Danny leaned over the board. "What are you looking at?"

"I still think we're missing something."

Danny stood up. "I don't know. It might go something like Jeremy met his buds for a swim, they run into big and scary who bashes Jeremy around and dumps him into the bay by the marina."

Steve turned and looked up at him. "And why wouldn't his buds have jumped in to help him, or at least gone for help?" Steve turned back to the map. "And why in the middle of the night?"

Danny threw up his hands and looked up at the ceiling. "Sorry, my link to the mystic powers isn't as good as yours."

Steve enlarged a section of the map even more and began tracing the small blue arrows backwards from the Rec Area. His fingers led him down the bay, past the bridge, to a point just off of Ford Island. Steve turned and looked up at Danny. "Are you through?"

"I think so."

Steve glanced up at Chin. "You got something?"

Chin smiled. "A couple of addresses."

"Good. Talk to the boys. Call me as soon as you have anything." He stood up and headed for the door. "Come on, Danno."

Danny followed him. "Where are we going?"

"To see a friend of mine."

Danny shook his head as the glass door began to swing after them. "You got a lot of those, don't you."

Danny looked around the grounds as they passed a sign pointing them toward a visitor center. "Is your friend a meeter and greeter?"

Steve didn't slow his pace. "No, he's a retired Navy SEAL. He just works for the Park Service now."

"Must be a nice change of scenery."

Danny followed Steve through the glass doors of the building. He noticed a sign in the main entry notifying visitors that the Memorial was temporarily closed. He didn't have time to read all the fine print. Steve had already disappeared into the dimmer interior.

Danny caught up with him as he approached a counter where a woman, dressed in neat tan uniform, was setting our materials. Steve cleared his throat to get her attention. "Excuse me. I'm looking for Harry Banks."

She looked up at him with a well practiced smile. "Do you have an appointment?"

Steve flashed his badge. Danny added his for good measure. Steve managed a half civil smile. "Could you please tell him Steve McGarrett is here to see him?"

Danny was impressed. Steve had remembered to say please.

The lady smiled nicely. "I'm sorry. Harry is busy at the moment. He should be back in about 15 minutes if you'd care to wait."

"No problem." He wandered off to peruse the exhibits.

Danny couldn't help himself. He couldn't quite see her name tag. He angled around.

She noticed him. "May I help you with something?"

There is was. He turned up the charm. "Ah, Miss Maggie Hamilton." He thought fast. "I noticed the sign. The Memorial is closed right now? What's going on?"

A slight flicker crossed her features. He couldn't tell if it was amusement or annoyance. But she composed herself. "That's Ms. Thank you." She paused to make sure he'd gotten that. "There was an internment this morning. It was a rather unique circumstance. It's a private ceremony so the Memorial is temporary closed to the public. It will reopen shortly."

Danny mulled the idea around. Interment? He wasn't sure what to make of that. Before he could ask, Steve returned.

He leaned his arms on the counter. "How's the Arizona doing?"

Danny saw that flicker again. She smiled. "As well as can be expected for a ship her age."

Steve nodded. "Rusty?"

Ms. Hamilton's smile faded slightly. "She's been under for more than 70 years. Of course she's rusty. She's also covered with incrusting organisms and seaweed."

Steve nodded again and looked back across the visitor center. Danny glanced around. He didn't see any other visitors coming up to the desk.

Steve turned his attention back to the ranger. "Is she still leaking?"

A slight flush rose in her cheeks. Danny stepped back. Her smile was still there, but it was tight, and hiding what he feared, might be a serious temper. She dropped her voice. "There is still oil seeping but our environmental team keeps track of water quality on a weekly basis. It hasn't increased if that's what you're worried about."

Steve looked nonchalant. "No, that's not why we're here."

Danny looked at Steve. "It leaks?"

Steve nodded. "Some people call it Arizona's Tears." He glanced around again. This time he didn't turn back to her. He just lowered his voice. "How's the diving around the ship?"

Danny thought she might blow a fuse. The smile left her face completely. "Diving is not permitted around the memorial."

A gentleman dressed in the same type of uniform came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. He was chuckling. "Don't mind him, Mags. He's just pushing your buttons."

Steve turned around, a broad grin on his face, and extended his hand across the counter. "Harry!"

The man shook it warmly. "Just like you, Steve. Always causing trouble with the ladies."

Danny couldn't hold back his laugh. He glanced over at the lady ranger. "I'm so sorry. There are times I don't really want to claim to know him."

"I wonder if his mother says the same."

Steve tensed. His friend gave Ms. Hamilton a glance. He turned back to Steve. "Why don't we step into the back." He glanced over at Danny. "I get the feeling this is business."

Steve nodded. His friend gave him a nod in the direction of Ms. Hamilton. Steve grinned. He turned back to her and put on a serious face. "Ranger Hamilton, I apologize for pushing your buttons."

Before she could respond, he turned and followed his friend down a hallway. Danny did likewise. He noticed another ranger come to the desk and Ms. Hamilton also followed them. Or what she just returning to her office?

Danny followed Steve into the back room, which seemed to be overflowing with people in formal dress. Some were in Formal Naval Dress Uniforms while others wore what he assumed must be the Park Service's Formals. He recognized another figure in a tidy black suit and tapped Steve on the shoulder. "If you haven't noticed, the governor is here."

Steve looked back at him. "I've noticed." He glanced at his friend. "Is there some place quieter we could talk?"

His friend looked a little bewildered. "Sorry about this. I didn't expect them to bring the crowd in back here." He looked around and motioned for them to follow.

Danny leaned closer to Steve. "Did we miss a party invitation?"

"I don't think so, Danny. The governor attends a lot of different events without notifying me. I'm not his babysitter."

"Just making sure." Danny followed them into a side room filled with patricians. He groaned when he noticed Ms. Hamilton was seated at one of the desks.

His friend motioned for Steve to join him in one of the cubicles. Steve looked around. "I don't know, Harry. Doesn't look much bigger than your old office."

His friend collapsed into a chair. "Sorry, Steve. It's been a tough morning."

Steve's face filled with concern. "What's going on?"

His friend looked up. "That's the last one, you know." He pointed back in the direction they'd come. "That's why there's such a big show. Interments are usually done in the evenings, when everything is closed, so we don't interrupt the flow of visitors through the Memorial."

Danny couldn't read Steve's face. It was like stone.

The other man covered his eyes with one hand. "And there's more." He almost looked ready to cry. He looked up at Steve and dropped his voice to a bare whisper. "One of them is missing."

Steve looked like he'd been shot. He crouched down next to his friend's chair. "Are you sure?"

The man nodded. "I put it there myself a few years ago."

Steve looked up at Danny. Danny was mystified. "What? What's missing?"

The man pointed to a cylindrical object on top of his filing cabinet. "One of those."

Danny looked over at it, trying to decide what it was. He looked back at Steve, who looked like hell was coming. His insides twisted. "Is it a bomb, or something?"

They looked at him as if he was insane. Steve stood up and pulled the canister off the cabinet. "Danny. This is an urn."

"Okay. I'm relieved." He still had no clue what they were talking about.

Steve replaced it carefully and turned back to his friend. The man held something out to him. "And I found this in the silt below the opening to Turret Four."

Steve took the object. "A mag light." He shook it and a dim glow shown from the bulb. "It hasn't been down there very long."

Steve crunched back down next to his friend's chair and started a fast and very quiet conversation.

Danny gave up trying to understand what they were saying and peered around the corner. He could see Ms. Hamilton sitting in her own cubicle down the way. He noticed she also had one of the strange metal cans on her desk. He glanced back at Steve, who was still deep in hushed conversation. He probably wouldn't even notice.

Danny slipped around the corner and stopped in the opening of her cubicle. She glanced up at him. Before she could get angry, he pointed at the object. "I noticed you have one of those, too."

She studied him for a moment. "All of the education staff does. We use them as part of our programs to help visitors understand the significance of the Memorial."

Danny leaned on the patrician. "Maybe you could help me out with that. I'm still a little fuzzy about what it's for."

She looked as though she was trying to decide if he was serious, then shrugged, got up, and picked up the object. "This is a replica of an urn like the ones placed inside Turret Four of the Arizona."

Danny nodded and smiled. "I got that far. What's it for?"

She stared at him. "You're kidding, right?" She paused, watching his reaction.

"I know I hang out with Mr. Seal there, who obviously understands all the nuts and bolts of every ship ever made, but I'm more of a land type guy myself. If you could just give me a clue?"

"Ashes."

Danny's stomach turned to a rock as his brain finally connected the dots. It was a good think he was already supported by the fake wall. "As in a dead guy."

"That's correct." She motioned to a list of names pinned to one of her walls. "Only those actively serving on the Arizona that day can have their ashes interned, in urns like this one, in Turret Four of the ship. Certain other individuals may spread their ashes around the water. It's a strictly regulated procedure."

"I'm glad to hear that. Thank you so much for filing in this gap in my understanding." He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned see Steve's face. He'd never seen it look quite that way before.

"Come on, Danno. We've got to go."

He smiled at Ms. Hamilton and followed Steve out of the office, through the visitor center, and out into the sunlight. He was absolutely terrified. He's never seen him look so shaken.

They got back to the car and Danny managed to get in front of him. "I don't fully get what's going on but I can tell by your face, that it's right next to terrorist attack on your list of bad days. May be I should drive."

"I'm fine."

"Right." Danny turned away, thought better of it, and turned back. "So, have we taken on another case? I'm not sure what to even categorize this under, missing persons or stolen object."

For the briefest moment, he was afraid Steve was going to deck him.

Kono shivered. The shadow of the Admiral Clarey Bridge hovered over her like a predator. She glanced around the marina. It seemed too deserted for a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

The sound of voices caught her attention and she noticed a couple walking down the parking lot, arm in arm. They waved to her when they saw her. She didn't know what else to do but walk toward them.

The man seemed happy enough. He smiled at her. "Are you lost? The big party is up at the Hale."

Kono relaxed a little. "Thanks, but I was actually looking for the man who tends the gas pumps."

"You must mean Old Molo. He lives on a boat house over on the Slip 2. You can't miss it. It's the only thing on the row that doesn't have sails."

"Thanks." Kono started off in the direction that he had pointed. As she got closer to the dock, she heard what sounded like someone beating on something with a hammer. She came around a boat on a rack and saw Kulipo. He was sitting on a bench, hitting part of an engine with a mallet.

Kono paused to calculate the distance between them, in case he started to run. He looked pretty big but that didn't mean he couldn't move. She remembered the couple and decided to play dumb.

Kono walked forward and waited for a pause in his hammering. She called out. "Excuse me."

He looked up. For a moment, she was afraid she'd have to run him down but he just stood so he could see her better. "Are you looking for the Hale?"

Still uncertain of what he might do, she waited until she was only a few feet away. "Actually, I was looking for you."

He seemed surprised. "For me?"

"Are you Kulipo Moloika?"

He nodded, put his hammer down, and reached behind his back. Kono tensed but he only pulled a rag from his back pocket to wipe his hands. "What do you need?"

Kono held up her badge. "I'd like to ask you a few questions."

He shrugged. "Whatever. I ain't done nothing wrong."

Kono had the distinct feeling that Steve had somehow known that but she had to follow through. "Can I ask where you were late Friday night?"

"Sure." He pointed up the shoreline. "I was up at the Hale, helping set up chairs for the big party that the Yacht Club is putting on this weekend."

"How late were you there?"

Kulipo shrugged. "Til about three in the morning, I guess. We had to get it all done because they had people coming in the morning to put decorations up."

Kono could tell he wasn't lying. "Is there anyone who could vouch for you?"

"Lot's. Mr. Pau is probably up at the Hale right now. He could." He looked at her and grimaced. "What's this all about anyway?"

"Do you know who Jeremy Davis is?"

Kulipo's face darkened. "Stupid Howle. Ya, I know him. What's his issue now?"

Kono tensed. "When did you see him last?"

Kulipo scratched the back of his head. "I don't know. A couple of months ago maybe. I told him to stay away from my cousin."

She relaxed. "He's dead."

"Good."

Kono stared at him. "You think that's good?"

"Why would you care about some stupid howle, anyway? They're all the same. Fancy rich kids. We is just poor kids." He pointed around the marina. "All we can do is keep the fancy rich kids happy. And if something happens to one the fancy rich kids? Who gets blamed first? One of us poor kids."

Kono looked down. "I used to feel a lot like that myself."

He snorted. "So what changed your mind?"

Kono looked up at him. "Some of my best friends are Howle."

Steve just stared at Danny. His phone began to ring. It probably saved him from doing something he would have seriously regretted later. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and glanced at the caller ID. He hit the accept button. "Max, what have you got?"

"Good morning, Commander. I have good news. The lab results from the metal and oil samples have come back."

Steve turned to look back at the visitor center. "The metal is really old, probably covered with marine organisms. The oil is old Bunker C."

He heard Max's gasp. "Has the lab already called you?"

"No. But I know where Jeremy Davis died. I just don't understand why yet."

"I'm hoping that you will have the time at some point to stop in and share your amazing deductions."

Steve swallowed hard. "When I get a chance, Max. Thanks."

He looked back at his partner, who was still standing between him and the car. Danny's face was a mixture of astonishment tinged with terror. He'd seen that look on him before. "We've got to roll, Danno."

Danny continued to stare at him. "I'd still be much happier if you'd let me drive."

Steve set his jaw. "We don't have time for this. Either get in on you own or I'll shove you in myself."

Danny threw up his hands. "Fine. Be that way." He went around the other side of the car and yanked open the passenger door. "I just don't understand why I never get to drive my own car."

Steve got in and took a deep breath. The biggest problem was, he didn't know where to look for them. He just hoped they weren't too late. He started up the car.

Danny looked over at him. "All right. So can you at least tell me where we're headed?"

Steve swung south onto the Kamehameha Highway, following his gut. There were a limited number of options. The most likely ones were all to the south. "Let's hope Chin can tell us."

Chin could just see her as she peered through the narrow crack allowed by the door chain. She was maybe twelve. He tried to have patience. "Look. That's a really good rule, but under the circumstances, I think your mom might understand. I'm a police officer and I have a warrant. I'd really hate to have to break down your door."

Her eyes went big. "Oh! Please don't do that! My mom can't afford any more bills. I'll let you in, okay?" She pushed the door closed and Chin could hear the bolt shifting. She opened the door all the way.

Chin smiled at her. "Thank you." He peered into the dim interior. "Is your brother here?"

He hadn't thought her eyes could have possibly gotten any bigger. She shook her head. "Is Sam in some kind of trouble?"

"I hope not, but I really need to look at his computer."

She shrugged. "It's in his room."

Chin followed her into the tiny apartment. It was a drastic contrast to the Davis house. Three doors led off a short hall. One was a bathroom. The girl pointed at one door. "That's my room and this one is my brother's." She pushed his door open.

Chin looked around. "Where does your mom sleep?"

She but her lip. "On the couch. She wanted me and my brother to have our own rooms for a change, and she gets up early and comes home late."

Chin felt bad for the family. They were obviously struggling. He glanced around the room and noticed an old blocky mainframe sitting on the floor. He went in and turned it on. He looked over at the girl. "Does your brother have a password?"

She shook her head. "Mom would kill him if he did. She needs to use the computer sometimes, too. He's supposed to let me use it, but he never does."

Chin waited for the old operating system to boot. "Do you know where your brother went?"

She shook her head. "He had something in his pillowcase, though. He got real mad when I asked him what it was. He said it wasn't any of my business." She chewed on her lip.

Chin finally got a window and found the email program. He opened the inbox. It was empty. He opened the trash. Nothing. He closed his eyes and breathed. He opened them again and looked at the surface of the TV table that served as a stand to the monitor and keyboard. There wasn't enough room for much. No helpful slips of paper.

He looked over at Sam's little sister, who had curled up on her brother's bed with one of his pillows. "Are you sure he didn't say anything that could tell us where he went? We're really trying to help him."

She looked back at him and squeezed her eyes closed. "He's in a lot of trouble, isn't he?"

He didn't want to scare her. "Hey, we're gone to find him. Don't worry." He got an idea. He checked the Sent folder. A list appeared. The top entry had been sent only a few hours ago, and it had gone to Tom. "I think we got lucky!"

She leaned forward to watch him. "Does it say where my brother went?"

Chin scanned the text. The boys obviously knew about Jeremy. He could tell they were scared. "It just says the man will still meet them as the pre-arranged location." Chin hung his head.

The girl perked up. "I bet that's why he needed to look at the map." She slid off the bed and disappeared from the room. She came back a few moments later with a flapping city map. She spread it out on the bed and pointed to a spot.

Chin leaned closer. He could see a small number penciled over a place on the map. He looked at his watch. "That's going to be close." He pulled out his phone.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Danny was afraid to ask. He leaned back and tried to relax. It didn't work. He risked a glance in Steve's direction. His face was stone, very pale stone. He wasn't speeding, just driving.

Danny glanced out the window. They were coming up on the H1.

Steve's finger's started tapping on the steering wheel. That wasn't a good sign. Steve's phone rang and he hit the speaker button. "McGarrett."

"Steve."

"Chin! Talk to me. Tell you have some thing."

There was someone talking to the background and Danny could hear Chin tell someone to make sure and give something to a mother. "Sorry, had a minor to deal with. The boys are headed for Sand Island. They're meeting time is four PM."

Danny glanced at his watch. "That's less than twenty minutes from now." He felt Steve speed up as they hit the on ramp. He head the sirens go and saw the flash of their lights reflected on the back of the car in front of them. "Please let them get out of the way."

Steve ignored him. "Chin. Call Kono and tell her where the party is. Then give the heads up to H.P.D. so we can get back up rolling."

"Got it! I've uploaded a scan of the map the boys were using but it's pretty vague."

"The only good news is that it's Sunday."

Danny tried not to look as Steve dodged vehicles trying to get out of their way. "And why would that be?"

"Less shipping traffic."

Chin got is attention agsin. "Sam's little sister said he had something pretty chunky in a pillow case."

"I know."

Danny looked over at him. "You do?"

Chin signed off and disconnected.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Steve glanced over at him for a split second. "All that and you still don't get it?"

Danny came to a sudden connection. He swallowed "You mean the boys have it?"

"Yes, Danny, the boys have an urn."

Danny felt his stomach heaving, and for once, he could tell if it was Steve's driving or the thought of what the boys had. "That's gross! What do they want with a dead guy in a can?"

"My guess is money."

Steve moved into the exit lane for the Nimitz. Danny just couldn't fathom that. "Who would pay money for that?"

"Any number of high end collectors."

"Just something to sit on the mantle piece back home, huh? It would be a great conversation starter."

Steve turned off onto the Sand Island Access. The traffic thinned out and Danny didn't even want to glance over at the speedometer. He could see the veins sticking out on Steve's neck. A thought struck him. "Is this a personal thing, or something?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad we clarified that." Danny was sure he felt the wheels leave the road surface as they came over the bridge.

Steve actually slowed down. "Pull up the map from Chin. See which warehouse complex we're looking for."

Danny sighed and pulled out his phone. He hated the thing but it had its value. He found the image. He looked around. "Could be the next on your left."

"Could be?"

"Look, I don't have a magic gut like you do. It's not the most detailed map, you know."

"Sorry."

Danny looked over at him. "Did I actually hear that come out of your mouth?"

Steve was silent for a moment as he turned into the shipping yard. "After the attack, while they were trying to salvage as much as they could from her, some of the bodies were recovered. They were later replaced in urns and put back in the ship. It became a statement of honor for the survivors to have their remains interned with their shipmates who died that day."

Danny sighed. "Your grandfather, died on that ship, didn't he?"

Steve didn't answer. "I think I've found them."

Danny looked around the yard filled with buildings and stacks of shipping containers. "How do you know?"

"You don't often see a limo parked out here."

Tom leaned as far back into the crack as he could get. He could see Sam where he crouched with the thing in the pillow case. Sam hadn't even let him see it. He didn't care. He just wanted to get rid of it and figure out how to get off the island before the cops found them. He pushed the tears out of his vision.

Sam looked over at him. He looked as scared as he was.

The man outside paced back and forth. He called again. "Come on boys. I thought we had a deal. I've got your money right here." He patted a bag sitting on the roof of the limo.

Sam whispered across the gap between them. "Do you still think it a trick?"

"I don't know any more." He leaned his head back against the box behind him. "I wish we'd never done this."

"Tom! We need the money!"

Jeremy had needed the money, too. Now he was dead. "What if he double crosses us?"

The man in the fancy black suit sighed. "I'd hate to have to tell my employer that I came all this way and didn't get what he ordered. That could be a very bad mark on your sellers rating."

Tom closed his eyes. "Fine! Let's get this over with." He opened them as Sam began moving from his spot.

Danny crouched behind the large metal cylinder next to Steve and hoped it didn't contain something explosive. He looked up at Steve, who was peering through the thermal glasses.

Steve tapped at his ear piece. "Chin, are you and Kono in place?"

His own ear piece buzzed. "We're ready."

Steve tensed and dropped the lenses. He pulled out his piece.

Danny spun around. "What are you doing? These are kids! You can't shoot them!"

Steve fired once and something fell from the roof. The pling of bullets echoed from the other side of the cylinder.

Danny gasped and looked over at Steve. "How do you do it? You really are a serious danger magnet!"

Steve was too busy laying down fire. "Chin! Can you still see them?"

"I've still got them on scope. They've ducked back down."

"Danny and I will draw their fire. Get those boys out of there."

Danny whirled around the other side of the cylinder and began laying down a spread of bullets in what appeared to be the opposite direction the other ones were coming from. He glanced over at Steve. "Thank you so much for letting me in the plan."

Steve didn't even turn to look at him. "You're welcome."

Danny saw the movement out of the corner of his eye. He didn't have time to say anything. He jumped the length of the cylinder and flattened Steve under his own weight then shot the guy.

Every thing around them was quiet. Steve looked up at him. "Was that really necessary?"

Danny looked at the cylinder and pointed to the mark the slug had made. Steve's body had been there just moments before. He looked down at Steve. "Yes, it was. For your information, in order to get a room in one of those cans, you got to be a lot older."

Steve started shaking. Danny hoped he was laughing but he wasn't sure.


	7. Chapter 7

Epilogue

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6

Steve raised his hand to salute at the call of the sergeant. The peal of the gun reports echoed across the bay. The rifles fired twenty-one times. The urn was handed down and Harry disappeared below the surface of the water. A bugle played taps. It seemed to flow in time to soft lapping of the waves against the base of the Memorial.

The white stone glowed pink in the setting sun. Long shadows fell across the darker shadow in the water below. The missing man was going home.

Steve glanced over at rest of his team where they stood next to him. Unlike Steve, who wore his Navy formals, Danny, Chin, and Kono were dressed in Police formals. Steve swallowed hard. He owed these three people more than words could ever convey. They were his mate.

Steve let his gaze wander across the others assembled there. Paul wore a uniform identical to his own. Amy stood next to him, clutching a picture of Jeremy. Coach Peterson and Jeremy's teammates stood in several rows behind the family. He could see the reflected lines of tears on many of their faces.

The Hawaiian girl beside Kono sobbed quietly into a hanky. She had finally learned from Tom why Jeremy had agreed to the plan. He'd wanted money to buy her a ring. Steve shut his eyes. The cost had been too great.

Tom and Sam were not among the gathered. They were in custody, awaiting arraignment. He had already agreed with Chin to speak on their behalf. The boys learned a terrible lesson. One that might well be stronger than any sentence a judge could impose.

Chin had tracked the ad that had drawn the boys into the dangerous gamble. It has seemed so innocent. Money offered to divers willing to retrieve something. Sam had been the only one who really had full knowledge of what they were doing. He'd probably get a tougher sentence.

The one thing that really bothered Steve was that the guy in the limo had disappeared. All the shooters had been local talent. They had no connections to whoever had hired them. The tracks had been well hidden.

The formal ceremony ended and the assembly began to disperse. It would be a few minutes before the boats arrived to take them back to the landing.

Danny started to walk away. A tight knot formed in Steve's stomach. "Danny?"

His partner turned and looked back. He managed to smile. "Look, Steve."

Steve shook his head. He pulled Danny into an embrace. "Thank you."

Danny patted him on the back and let him go. "Hey, what are partners for?" He grinned. "It's not like we need any more paperwork around the office, you know. Besides, she agreed." He pointed over Steve's shoulder. "They wouldn't give you special dispensation. I asked. No can for even you."

Steve turned to followed Danny's point. Ms. Hamilton was helping Harry up a ladder.

Steve looked back and grinned. "Well, you're right about that. Besides, I got a space marked out next to my dad."

Danny's face crumpled. "Just don't be in too much of hurry to occupy it. Okay?"

Steve didn't trust his voice. He nodded and moved toward the divers.

Paul intercepted him before he could get there. His friend held out a hand. "Steve. I can't thank you enough."

Steve shook it. "I'm sorry the results turned out to be so bad."

Paul glanced over to where Amy talked with Kono and Miako. "I just can't help thinking that if I'd done something differently."

"Paul." Steve pulled on his arm to get his attention. "You can't change what has already happened. You can only learn from it."

Paul managed to nod. His focus was drawn to something behind Steve.

"If you ever decide to retire, you can always come join our staff. Sounds like you might have the beginnings of a decent Park Service interpreter."

Steve grinned and turned around. "Why thank you, Ms. Hamilton. I'll keep that in mind."

Harry came up beside her. "And then you won't have to ask how the diving is." A loud speaker announced the arrival of the first boat. "Well, that's my call. I've got equipment to clean up and get put away."

Ms. Hamilton looked at him. "And what about you? Do you want to catch this boat?"

Steve looked around at all of the other people headed for the ramp. "No, I'll wait for the next one."

The pattern of fading light drew his attention to end of the Memorial. He paused by the rope barricade and stared up at the engraved list. He could just make out the names.

"One thousand, one hundred, seventy seven."

Steve managed not to jump. He hadn't realized she'd followed him. "I know." He'd known that number as long as he could remember. There was one name that he was looking for.

"Thank you for every thing you've done to help return the urn." Her voice was very quiet. "Harry told me."

Steve found the name on the list and focused on it.

Ms. Hamilton gasped.

Steve turned and found her staring at him. "You were named after him?"

Steve nodded and turned back to the wall. He finally let the salty drop go. It trickled down his cheek and feel to the deck. One small tear for the Arizona.


End file.
